Dear Santa,I want to have a Star Wars AT-AT walker.* I also want Legos and Playmobil and Star Trek season 2. It is my favorite.

Thank you, Santa! Merry Christmas, Santa!

*not gonna happen.

The 9yo's letter:

Dear Santa: Thanks for my Mp3 player. I've been listening to it almost nonstop. This year for (Thomas) i would like legos, and for (monkey), i would like a Robin buildabear outfit. For me, I would like American Girl stuff, Playmobil, lego stuff, LPS stuff, and this really pretty chair that is just a back and arms, and is light pink with brown lining and has a picture of a really pretty horse*. Most of all, I really want the Playmobil Horse ranch. Please at least bring me the horse ranch.

Merry Christmas!Thanks a lot.Lots and lots and lots of love.

*This is what she's talking about - she really latched onto this thing in a catalog - it didn't make our cut, though.

You totally win. I found a $20 lego set on sale for $6 and a $30 on sale for $15, though, so that was cool.

I've decided I have a love/hate thing with the santa letters. Tradition, magic, yes, but also... greedy maybe? and putting a list down on paper makes it more concrete to them, when really their lists were quite vague (yay!) before. For example, the Diego Duplos came from seeing them at a playdate the day before. But now he really wants them. And isn't getting them.

but... I always love my daughter's letters. she has always asked for something for her brothers since I can remember. This is the first year it seemed a little materialistic to me - but still cute and thoughtful (at the beginning anyway!).

Yeah, but don't forget that last year Z was asking for a real electric guitar and full drum set. Oy.

I've been really wishy-washy about Santa letters for that reason. Santa knows just what Zach wants anyway, since he gives a running commentary about every thought going through his head. So I think this year I won't suggest the letter, but he's welcome to write one if he thinks of it.